Part of 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services – in the Senedd at 2:24 pm on 3 October 2018.
Cabinet Secretary, whilst I appreciate the statement yesterday indicating that the teachers' pay rise will be funded by the Welsh Government, Neath Port Talbot council still is facing a huge deficit in its budget, and will be facing the challenges that they have to come up to with cuts that no-one wants to make to our public services. Will you therefore look at the needs of the communities, because that's the crucial element? Often, we need to reflect upon the needs and the deprivation within the county boroughs to ensure that they get a fair treatment from the Welsh Government so that they can deliver the services that they are tired of having to cut to the bare bones every year. It's time, I think, that we need to support the local councils to ensure that they can deliver services to the local people.